One type of connector system, often designated as a low insertion force system, includes a pair of connectors having terminals that do not make contact as the connectors are brought against one another. After the connectors are brought together, a cam is actuated to deflect one set of terminals against the other. U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,698 by Anhalt entitled LOW INSERTION FORCE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY, describes a system of this type.
In certain applications, it is desirable to provide first make-last break terminals, as to assure that certain portions of both connectors are at the same ground potential before the rest of the terminals make contact, and to maintain such contact until all other terminals have broken contact. In conventional pin-socket type connectors this has been accomplished by making one terminal longer than the others to make contact first and break contact last. However, in the low insertion force system all contacts are of the same length. A simple and reliable arrangement for bringing a pair of auxillary terminals into contact before the othersand keeping them in contact as the others break contact, in a low insertion force connector system, would increase the utility of such connector systems.